The present disclosure relates to aerial distribution supporting apparatuses and methods in which when distribution material is distributed over a target site on the ground surface from an aircraft, support information is offered to a pilot who drops the distribution material to efficiently distribute the distribution material.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H08-324499 describes a fire helicopter for dropping a fire extinguishing agent, such as water, from the air to a widespread fire, such as a forest fire, or a fire that is difficult to be sprayed with water from the ground. The fire helicopter includes an apparatus for supporting the dropping of a fire extinguishing agent. The dropping supporting apparatus functions to compute the location at which the fire extinguishing agent to be dropped arrives based on information on the aircraft velocity and the aircraft altitude, and display the computed location superimposed on an image taken by a camera. This apparatus facilitates allowing the fire extinguishing agent to reach a fire site on the ground surface.